WorldStage– The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) says the country needs to sustain equipping the young people with relevant digital skills, structured career plans to thrive in the evolving job market.
Malam Kashifu Inuwa, Director-General of NITDA, said this in Abuja on Thursday at the inauguration of Innovation Space, an initiative designed to support National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members in building startups and developing market-ready solutions.
Inuwa said between 3.5 million and four million young Nigerians entered the labour market annually, stressing that the nature of jobs was changing.
He said there were many emerging roles in data science, artificial intelligence, and software development only gaining prominence recently.
“The world is constantly changing and more than 60 per cent of the jobs we have today did not exist years ago.
“Success in today’s economy depends on two critical factors, which are acquiring relevant skills and developing a clear career plan.
“You need skills that will help you succeed wherever you find yourself, and you must have a personal strategy that answers where you want to be in the next few years,” he said.
The NITDA boss emphasised the importance of visibility and self-promotion in career growth, noting that hard work alone is no longer sufficient.
Inuwa said the innovation space was created to provide corps members with a platform to transform ideas into viable products and businesses within the agency.
He explained that participants would receive training, mentorship, and opportunities to develop solutions that could be adopted by NITDA and other government agencies.
He disclosed that some corps members had already developed solutions currently being adopted by NITDA, while others were being supported to commercialise their innovations and offer services to Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).
Inuwa added that the initiative aligns with the vision of President Bola Tinubu to create opportunities for young Nigerians and drive economic growth through innovation.
Brig.-Gen. Olakunle Nafiu, Director-General of NYSC, reaffirmed the relevance of the scheme, describing it as a critical platform for youth development and national progress.
Nafiu said the partnership with NITDA was opening new opportunities for corps members to contribute meaningfully to national development through innovation.
“The initiative is a viable platform to transform ideas into practical, market-ready solutions and address societal challenges,” he said.
He urged public and private organisations to move beyond routine deployment of corps members and instead create structured programmes that harness their skills and creativity.
“We are not just posting corps members to serve, we expect organisations to add value to them and tap into their potential to develop solutions for society.
“The future of this country lies in the ability of these young people to provide solutions and with the right support and environment, they can transform Nigeria,” he said.
Two teams, COPA and Sentinel $ Trivergent pitched their innovation at the launch, which could be adopted for use within the agency and beyond.
